[Staging treatment for complex tibial metaphyseal fractures with external fixator].

Objective: To observe the clinical effects of combined type external fixator in treating complex tibial metaphyseal fractures.

Methods: From January 2007 to July 2012, 34 patients with complex tibial metaphyseal fractures were treated with combined type external fixator in different stagings. There were 23 males and 11 females, with a mean age of 41.3 years (ranged, 16 to 63), and the course of disease were from 1 h to 8 d. In the patients, 31 cases were open fractures, 11 cases with type II, 13 cases with type III A, 7 cases with type III B according with Gustilo classification; 19 cases were tibia plateau fractures, 6 cases with type II, 1 case with type IV, 5 cases with type V, 7 cases with type VI according to Schatzker classification; 15 cases were distal tibial fractures (one were bilateral fractures), 2 fractures with type A2, 1 fracture with type A3, 1 fracture with type C1, 5 fractures with type C2, 7 fractures with type C3 according to AO classification. Rasmussensn scoring system and AOFAS Ankle Hind-foot Scale were respectively used to assess the joint function of knee and hip.

Results: Wound surface of 19 patients obtained at phase I healing and 15 patients obtained at phase III healing. Superficial wound infections occurred in 2 cases and bone non-union necessitated reoperation occurred in 2 cases (final fractures obtained bone healing after the second operation). All patients were followed up from 6 to 38 months with a mean of 14.3 months. At the final follow-up,according to Rasmussensn scoring system, 5 fractures got excellent results, 11 good, 3 fair, the mean Rasmussen score was 23.58 +/- 3.98; according to AOFAS Ankle Hind-foot Scale, 5 fractures got excellent results, 8 good, 3 fair, the mean AOFAS Ankle Hind -foot Scale was 80.75 +/- 14.21.

Conclusion: Combined type external fixator can well maintain the stability of the fractures, had advantages of low incidences of soft tissue complications and less influence to joint motion in treatment of complicated tibial metaphyseal fractures. However there were some limitations in long-term use.